Familiar Strangers
by ellietheotter
Summary: Someone shows up at the Federal Building looking for Olivia Dunham. But, as usual, things are going to get a bit complicated.
1. Chapter 1

Pretty much my first fic ever, so don't judge me if it's terrible. But I had the idea in my head for a while and finally had to write it down. Also, Etta and the whole Observer-verse don't exist in this, and nothing else specific is mentioned. If you see any mistakes, please tell me and I'll try to fix them. This is finished, and will be four or five chapters long. Also, I obviously don't own Fringe (besides the dvd boxset that I got in the mail yesterday) or else we would have seen a lot more of Ella.

* * *

"Dunham."

"It's Broyles. I need you at headquarters. There's a girl here who insists on speaking with you."

"Who is she?"

"No idea. Won't say a thing except that she needs to talk to Olivia Dunham."

"I'm on my way."

Olivia look through the glass at the girl sitting in the other room. She looked to be in her twenties, with long blonde hair that was pulled back into a French braid and a scar along her left temple - had she been in a fight? Or was it simply a childhood incident?

"Well? Are you going in?" Broyles asked.

Olivia nodded and opened the door that led into room. The girl looked up, and a relieved look appeared on her face.

"Oh thank god, I thought you weren't going to come - but then I realized that you're far too curious, so of course you'd come - and now you're here and I know this is strange but it's me, it's Annie, and I know exactly what you're thinking but -"

"Who?" Olivia asked.

The girl stopped suddenly, and just looked at the FBI agent for a minute. "It's me. Annie - Annabelle. Look, I know it's confusing -"

"I don't know anyone named Annabelle. Or Annie."

The girl, Annabelle, was silent for a minute. Then she asked quietly, "What year is it?"

"2012," Olivia answered.

"... Oh shit," the girl said after a moment.

"Annabelle? Are you alright?"

"... No. I'm really not. Listen, I'm sorry for wasting your time. This was a mistake. I'm really sorry. But I need the tech, um, the cylinder, that I had with me when I came here, they took it at the front desk and I need it back -"

Olivia held up her hand to stop the girl's ramblings. "Why don't you just explain to me what's going on?"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because this shouldn't happened and It's really bad and I just need to get home as soon as I can, please I need the cylinder that they took."

"Where is home?"

Annabelle looked straight at Olivia. "You won't believe me."

"I've seen a lot of stuff I never thought I'd believe. Try me."

Annabelle paused for a moment, sat up straight in her chair, and began to speak. "My name is Annabelle Astrid Bishop. I was born in Boston on April 4th, 2013 to Olivia and Peter Bishop. When I was a kid I always swore I'd be a FBI agent like my parents, and when I was old enough I joined the Academy and passed with flying colours. In 2038, my parents and grandpa asked for my help. Bad things were happening to the world and they needed me to help fix it. They needed me to go back in time and - well it's a long story that I probably shouldn't tell you. But I was only supposed to go back a few years, to 2025. You see, time travel is tricky. The tech that Walter created was weak. You're only supposed to be able to travel within your own time stream - within your birth and death. They needed me to do it instead of them because I'm younger, it's a shorter time stream which requires less energy and a smaller chance of error. But apparently that doesn't even matter because now I'm in fucking 2012 and I have no idea what's going to happen because Walter never went into specifics about going out of my time stream. He just kept emphasizing that it was a very bad thing and not to do it but here I am and I just really need the tech back so I can try to get home. Please."


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia was looking at Annabelle with a strange look on her face. "You're... my daughter?"

Annabelle exhaled. "Yeah. And I've probably broken a hundred time travel rules by telling you that. Not that there are any actual rules, but you and Dad were very specific about what I was to tell your past selves. And I think telling your 2012 self that you're going to get pregnant and married soon really fucks things up - I'm sorry. But I just need to get home."

"Okay. We can work on that. Just let me go talk to my boss for a second, okay?"

Annabelle nodded and Olivia left the room. Broyles was waiting for her outside.

"Do you believe her?"

Olivia let out the breath she had been holding. "I don't know. I mean, we've seen so many things over the past few years. Who says that in 26 years time travel isn't an option? And Broyles - she just feels so familiar. I feel like I know her. It's hard to explain, but I think we need to follow this through."

Broyles nodded. "They took the cylinder to the lab. Take her there and see what happens."

"Thank you," Olivia said as she opened the door and went back into the room. Annabelle looked up with a pleading look on her face.

"Come on," Olivia said. "Your tech is at the lab."

Annabelle looked relieved. "Thank you."

"Hey guys," Olivia said as she walked into the lab, Annabelle following behind her.

"Olivia! How wonderful to see you. Do have any idea what this is?"

Olivia looked at the small metal cylinder that Walter was holding. "Yeah. I have an idea."

Annabelle walked up to Walter and held out her hand. "May I?"

Walter looked at her confused, and then at Olivia. She nodded, and he placed the cylinder in Annabelle's hand.

Annabelle wrapped her hand around it and stepped back from Walter. She took a chain from around her neck, revealing a strange shaped charm at the end. She took the charm and inserted it into a matching shaped hole on one end of the cylinder.

But nothing happened.

"No. No no no." Annabelle stared at the object in her hands. She pulled out the necklace and then put it in again, but still nothing. "It's dead. The screen should be lighting up and working but it's not, it's dead, it used up all the energy. " She looked up at Olivia with a distraught look on her face. "I'm stuck here. I... I don't know how to get home."

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on? Who is this?"

Olivia glanced at Annabelle, and then turned to Peter. "She's our daughter."

"What?"

Olivia looked back at Annabelle. Annabelle sighed.

"My name is Annabelle Astrid Bishop. I was born in Boston on April 4th, 2013 to Olivia and Peter Bishop. In 2038 they asked for my help. They needed me to go back in time to 2025. But I went too far back, way too far back, and ended up before I was even born. And now I can't get home."

Peter stared at her with a sort of shocked look on his face. Then he turned and stared at Olivia. Olivia shrugged.

"I don't know Peter. I really don't know."

Astrid was looked at Annabelle with a half smile on her face, and then turned to Olivia. "Annabelle Astrid?"

Olivia smiled at her friend. "Of course."

Walter had listened to Annabelle's story, but was focused on more on the device in her hands. He walked up to Annabelle, who had sat down in a desk chair, and stood beside her.

"May I see that again? And your necklace?"

Annabelle handed the cylinder and necklace to Walter. "You made it, you know. In 2038, you came up with this technology to travel in time. But it only work within the person's time stream."

"Yes, that makes sense. Gives it a distinct parameter to work with, if you understand that it can really only be used to go in the past since -"

"- Unless you know the day you die, you don't really know when your time stream ends."

Walter smiled at the girl. "Yes, exactly. Now, what kind of energy does it use?"

"Time energy," she replied.

"Time energy?"

"Yes. You and Dad figured out a way to harness the time energy and use it to power the device."

"How interesting!" Walter turned to Peter and walked over to where he and Olivia were standing. "Peter, look at this. A working time travel machine! Belly and I had theories about something like this..."

Olivia watched the men as they walked over to one of the computers. She heard her phone ringing and pulled it out of her pocket. "Dunham," she answered, but the call had already been disconnected.

"Thought it was worth a try," Annabelle said quietly, holding her phone.

Olivia raised her eyebrows. "I have the same phone number 24 years in the future?"

"Apparently," said Annabelle as she slouched into the chair.

Olivia frowned, and walked over the girl. "Look, Annabelle, I know this is all confusing and strange but we're going to try to get you home -"

"But what if I can't? What if the tech is dead for good and I'm stuck here? I mean, nothing against you guys, and 2012 is great and all, but I'm not supposed to be here. Me being here just... messes with time. I don't know how, but I know it's not right. And, I'm sure you guys are great, I know you guys are great, but you're not my parents. My parents - they call me Annie, they know that my favourite food is a grilled cheese sandwich, they told me stories about their fringe cases instead of fairytales at bedtime, they - they're not you. Not yet. And - I just need to go home. Before something bad happens."

"We will get you home Annabelle. I promise we will try everything we can to get you back where you belong."


	3. Chapter 3

"Girls! I think we've figured it out!"

Annabelle, Olivia, and Astrid all looked towards Walter. He gestured for them to come over to the computer where he and Peter were standing.

"Now, Annabelle, can you explain exactly how we knew how much time energy to use? Did they just fill it up? How did it know which year to go to?"

"You did some complicated math that I didn't understand. Somehow you figured out exactly how much energy it would need to take me to 2025, and then doubled it for so I'd have enough for the trip back."

"Perfect! You see, I think the machine is calibrated to use up all the energy it has stored in one jump. That's how you ended up here, it used up 26 years of energy instead of just the 13. They should have just put enough for 13 years, and then you would have had to recharge it in 2025. Although how you recharge it I'm not sure -"

"Where's the oldest place in Boston?" Annabelle asked, cutting Walter off.

"What?" Olivia asked.

"I have a theory. If I bring the cylinder to the oldest place we can find, maybe it'll be able to harness some time energy by itself and charge, and I can get home."

"Do you remember the exact math they used to figure out how much energy you need?" asked Peter.

"No, but I remember the final number. 6.65. So doubled, 13.3, to get me back home. As it charges, the screen will tell you what it's at so you can tell when it's the right amount."

"So if we bring you to the oldest place in Boston, it might be able to charge itself to the 13.3?" Olivia asked.

"Maybe? I don't know for sure but I need to try _something_."

"The oldest building in Boston is the Paul Revere House," Astrid read from the computer screen in front of her.

"That could work, let's go."

"Hold on Annabelle. It's midnight. They won't be open," Olivia said.

"You're FBI. Can't you just break in?"

"Not without probable cause. We can go first thing in the morning, okay?"

Annabelle stared at Peter and Walter, who were still discussing time travel. "And what do I do until then?"

"You can spend the night at my place."

Annabelle looked back to Olivia. "Okay."

Olivia glanced over at Annabelle, who was sitting in the passenger seat. She brought her gaze back to the road and asked "So, how did you get that scar?"

Annabelle grinned. "My second week on the job. I was chasing after a suspect, and he threw a knife at my face."

Olivia looked over at Annabelle again with a shocked look on her face. "He threw a knife at your face?"

"Yeah. A little further to the side and I probably would have lost my eye. When it happened, I basically ignored you for as long as I could, because I knew you'd freak out and make me quit or something. It's the main reason I didn't actually join Fringe division - I knew you would never let me leave the lab."

"So I'm overprotective?"

"Not overprotective, really. Just... a mom." Annabelle paused for a moment. "You know, you're still the same. You can still get me talking about anything without me even realizing. I shouldn't be telling you any of this - you shouldn't know your future. You definitely shouldn't have met you child and have her telling you all of this - oh god. Please don't not have me. I mean, you have the option now, you know when it's going to happen but - I promise I was a good kid, really, you do love me, just please don't mess that up. It would just... change everything."

"Annabelle, calm down. It'll be alright. I won't change anything, I promise."

Annabelle took a deep breath. "Okay. Good."

Olivia unlocked the door and pushed it open, switching on the lights as she did. Annabelle followed her into the apartment and stood by the door as Olivia went through switching on more lights and tossing her bag on the table and opening the fridge.

"I... have no food. It's been a busy week, I haven't gone grocery shopping," Olivia said as she examined the inside of the fridge. "I think I have some cereal somewhere. We can order something, if you're hungry."

"I'm fine," said Annabelle as she looked around the apartment. It wasn't familiar - Olivia had moved in with Peter before she was born. Although, at the same time, certain things _were_ familiar: Annabelle had seen that framed photo of Olivia and Ella asleep on the couch together on the mantle in the living room every day when she was growing up. And the books on the bookcase were titles she remembered running her fingers over as a child.

"Annabelle?"

"Yeah?" Annabelle said as she looked over to see Olivia coming out of her bedroom holding a tshirt and a pair of pajama pants.

"Here, they should fit alright. And Rachel said that the bed in the spare room is really comfortable. Um, you can watch some TV if you're not tired yet, or read a book..."

"I think I'll just go to bed. I - It's been a long day."

Olivia nodded. "I understand. Bathroom is over there and there should be a new toothbrush under the sink."

Annabelle turned to go towards the bathroom, but then paused and turned back to Olivia. "Thank you, Olivia. For everything. I know this has got to be a lot for you to take in."

Olivia smiled. "I'll be fine. I just hope your plan works tomorrow, so that you can go home."

"Me too."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Olivia and Annabelle were in the car on their way to the Paul Revere House, where they were meeting Walter, Peter, and Astrid. It had been a quiet morning - both women were too far in their own thoughts to make awkward small talk. But as they got closer to their destination, Annabelle was focused on the last few moments she had had with her parents before she ended up in 2012. Walter had been drinking a milkshake and staring at the small cylinder on the table, Peter had been double-checking the math, Astrid had been doing something on a computer, and Olivia was watching Annabelle.

Olivia pulled up in front of the Paul Revere House and turned toward Annie, but Annie was looking at the old building. As she read the address written on the side of the house, everything suddenly made sense.

_ "Annie?"_

_ Annabelle turned to face her mother. "Yeah?"_

_ "You're going to be fine. Whatever happens, I know you'll be alright."_

_ Annie smiled. "I know Mom. I'm not worried."_

_ "Of course you're not. But I need you to remember one thing."_

_ "What thing?"_

_ "19 North Square. Remember that."_

_ Annie raised her eyebrows. "Sure. 19 North Square."_

_ "We're ready!" Walter called out._

_ Annabelle walked over to the table, picked up the small cylinder, and looked back at her parents. _

_ "Are you ready?" asked Peter._

_ "I'm ready."_

_ "We'll see you soon, okay Annie?" Olivia told her with a knowing smile on her face. _

_ Annabelle nodded at her mother, and then pressed the button._

"You knew!"

Olivia jumped at Annabelle's voice. "I knew what?"

"You knew I was going to end up here. Which makes sense now that I am here, it had already happened to you. But before I left, you told me to remember '19 North Square.'" Annie pointed to the house. "19 North Square. The Paul Revere House. I didn't remember before because I was too freaked out about being stuck here." Annabelle smiled and relaxed into the seat. "I'm going to be fine."

Olivia and Annabelle stepped out of the car and made their way into the building where Peter, Walter, and Astrid were waiting. Walter was holding the cylinder and he handed it to Annabelle as she stood beside him.

"Time to see if your theory is right," Peter said.

Annabelle took a deep breath, inserted the necklace into the end of the cylinder, and looked at the small screen. After what felt like forever, the screen suddenly lit up with a '0.2'. She looked up with a big smile on her face. "It's working."

She took one last moment to look at the people around her - people so familiar, yet so different.

"Are you ready?" asked Olivia

Annabelle looked down at the screen. 13.2. "I'm ready."


	5. Epilogue

_April 4th, 2013_

After 8 hours of labour, the baby girl was finally placed in her mother's arms.

"Hello Annie. It's nice to see you again," whispered Olivia as she placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead.


End file.
